Popovich on Noah: “He’s pretty damn valuable”

CHICAGO — Add Spurs coach Gregg Popovich to the growing list of those who believe Joakim Noah should draw votes for the NBA Most Valuable Award.

Recognizing that Noah has zero chance to take home the hardware — not with Kevin Durant and LeBron James around — Popovich said he was nonetheless delighted to hear the versatile Chicago center’s name could up in the conversation.

“They won’t choose him as the MVP, but I think it’s great that he’s in the conversation and he should be,” Popovich said after shootaround this morning in preparation for tonight’s game against the Bulls.

“But it’s just not the way it works, from my experience. It’s got to go in the basket for you guys (media) to pay attention to somebody. But he’s pretty damn valuable in my opinion.”

Noah is averaging 12.2 points, a career high, to go with 11.4 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 1.5 blocks and 1.1 steals.

He has produced three triple-doubles since Feb. 11, the first center to accomplish that in less than a month since David Robinson did it in February 1990, and the first to register three-triple doubles involving assists since Robinson in 1993-94.

Beyond the numbers, Noah has been the stabilizing force on a Bulls team that could have capsized after the loss of a pair of All-Stars — Derrick Rose to injury and Luol Deng to trade.

Since Jan. 1, the Bulls have won 23 games, more than any team in the league, and are a solid fourth in the Eastern Conference.

“He’s the heart and soul of the basketball here,” Popovich said of Noah. “The thing he does are varied. He doesn’t just rebound. He does a whole lot of things that make him very valuable. But you guys don’t pay attention to that stuff.”

Other notes from this morning’s shootaround session in Chicago …

* Popovich said he is not surprised the Bulls have hung around despite losing Rose and Deng, and praised Noah and coach Tom Thibodeau for helping keep the ship upright. ”I always thought that was overstated,” Popovich said. “It’s not like one player is the whole program. You lose Kevin Durant or LeBron James, that’s a different deal. But the style of play that Thibs demands, somebody else is going to step up and play hard. That’s what’s happening, and that’s what I expected to happen. That’s who they are and that’s who Thibs is.”

* The Spurs did not have Manu Ginobili, Kawhi Leonard, Danny Green or Tiago Splitter on Jan. 29, when the Bulls won 96-86 at the AT&T Center. A pair of players who started for the Spurs that night — Othyus Jeffers and Nando De Colo — are no longer with the team. It is little wonder the Spurs were held to what was at the time their second-lowest point total of the season. With a full complement of players tonight, Popovich expects his team to have a fighting chance in the rematch at the United Center.

“We’re in a little bit different position now,” Popovich said. “We’re healthy. Manu’s playing tonight, Danny Green’s playing, Tiago Splitter’s playing and Kawhi Leonard’s playing. They didn’t play last time. That tells you how good a coach I am. I need my players to play.

“We’ll have a better shot tonight because they’re all there, but I’m expecting a hell of a game.”

* Popovich on what has made Thibodeau a coaching success: “He’s an honest guy. Players can deal with honesty. They can’t deal with bs and games and that sort of thing. He’s straight up. Players know what he expects. He demands it. He knows what wins.”

* Shooting guard Danny Green and reserve forward Jeff Ayres each left shootaround with their right hand encased in ice. Green is dealing with a sore wrist. Ayres has a sprained right hand. Both are expected to be available tonight.